NRC

One of the biggest farces in a competition that is deemed so important it can qualify a club for a SL franchise application, is the unequal fixture allocation where you can get edged out of your group by a club you haven't even played.I believe there could also be ruptions when Rovers play Hunslet. If they have no chance of qualification they are unlikely to play their strongest team, thus giving Hunslet a path into the next round at the expense of one of our rivals for a franchise application.

Bottom line is that this format is specifically to give clubs two extra home fixtures to make up the season ticket total to twelve.

However, it hasn't captured the public imagination, the group games are played in ###### weather, attendances are poor, the season staggers to a start and, bearing in mind that you have to finance the two away games, you have to wonder whether we wouldn't be better off just starting in March, because few clubs will be making a profit on these games.

Bottom line is that this format is specifically to give clubs two extra home fixtures to make up the season ticket total to twelve.

However, it hasn't captured the public imagination, the group games are played in ###### weather, attendances are poor, the season staggers to a start and, bearing in mind that you have to finance the two away games, you have to wonder whether we wouldn't be better off just starting in March, because few clubs will be making a profit on these games.

Having said all that, I think there's a place for a non-Superleague Cup. But straight knock-out. Wouldn't take up that much space in the fixture calendar.

That would be better and it could still be the Northern Rail Cup with the attendant better publicity. If the final could be played at Wembley before the big game so much the better. More income, more publicity and the fans woul;d rally to such a competition.

How about the first round and semi finals being an open draw but played over 2 legs?Expanding championship to 12 teams so there will still be the 13 games for the season ticket.This way the clubs wont have 2 blank weekends during the season.

Having said all that, I think there's a place for a non-Superleague Cup. But straight knock-out. Wouldn't take up that much space in the fixture calendar.

I don't agree, i still think the best format is 4 leagues of 5 teams. Each team plays 4 fixtures, two at home and two away. The top two teams from each group through to a straight knock-out. One thing i do think we should do is start our season later and finish it later. According to climate experts the seasons are shifting and autumn now lasts almost to the middle of November. January and February are the worst possible time to start a season. After all the point of moving from winter was to avoid the worst of the weather. (Or was it cos Murdoch wanted us to)

I don't agree, i still think the best format is 4 leagues of 5 teams. Each team plays 4 fixtures, two at home and two away. The top two teams from each group through to a straight knock-out. One thing i do think we should do is start our season later and finish it later. According to climate experts the seasons are shifting and autumn now lasts almost to the middle of November. January and February are the worst possible time to start a season. After all the point of moving from winter was to avoid the worst of the weather. (Or was it cos Murdoch wanted us to)

Those groups would take five weeks to play and you'd have a week off each. And it only works for 20 teams. We have 21 teams now. It could change again.

I don't believe any "climate experts". I'm old enough to remember them telling us we were entering a new ice age. Which, incidentally, is why they all tell us the world's warmer than it was 30 years ago. It was cold then.

Those groups would take five weeks to play and you'd have a week off each. And it only works for 20 teams. We have 21 teams now. It could change again.

I don't believe any "climate experts". I'm old enough to remember them telling us we were entering a new ice age. Which, incidentally, is why they all tell us the world's warmer than it was 30 years ago. It was cold then.

Yeh ya right Griff about the so called experts but i think you'll find it's 20 teams in the NRC. two leagues of 10. Still think 4 leagues of 5 is the way to go. Especially if you can get leagues made up of teams that are relatively close to each other. This of course is impossible for our leaders.

Yeh ya right Griff about the so called experts but i think you'll find it's 20 teams in the NRC. two leagues of 10. Still think 4 leagues of 5 is the way to go. Especially if you can get leagues made up of teams that are relatively close to each other. This of course is impossible for our leaders.

Fifthly, if the final isn't to be in July, when are you going to have it ? Middle of the play-off series? Just as the league's coming to a climax ? No - the fact is, there's nowhere else.

Play it as a curtain raiser either on Challenge Cup Final day at Wembley or on SL Grand Final Day at Old Trafford, to add to the gates. The ground fees/rental will already have been paid for these events anyway, so there is no or very little extra costs incurred and why not add a few thousand extra spectators to these already big events and get the gates a bit closer to the elusive sell out figures?

Play it as a curtain raiser either on Challenge Cup Final day at Wembley or on SL Grand Final Day at Old Trafford, to add to the gates. The ground fees/rental will already have been paid for these events anyway, so there is no or very little extra costs incurred and why not add a few thousand extra spectators to these already big events and get the gates a bit closer to the elusive sell out figures?

yes a straight knock out competition with the finalists battling it out at wembley in the curtain raiser to the challenge cup final is the way forward to me . dont think the league format this year is fair, the only way it would be fair is for all teams to play eachother, think the groups were a better format.

Play it as a curtain raiser either on Challenge Cup Final day at Wembley or on SL Grand Final Day at Old Trafford, to add to the gates. The ground fees/rental will already have been paid for these events anyway, so there is no or very little extra costs incurred and why not add a few thousand extra spectators to these already big events and get the gates a bit closer to the elusive sell out figures?

Doubt if this would be possible at all at Old Trafford. Jeez - Ferguson whinges about one game of rugby, let alone two. Maybe at Wembley - but I suspect not without extra cost.